Fantasy Football Temperature Check – Week 10

Week 10 is a unique point in the season. Bye weeks are all but over, and most teams have a decent idea if they’re in or out of the play-offs, then there are the rest of us who are hanging in there hoping to slip in and ride a strong finish to success. Those of us in keeper leagues begin to think about who we want to keep and who we might trade. So now’s the time to start paying close attention to how players have performed recently, and not simply over the course of the last 9 weeks.

Perhaps it’s time to give your team a physical and see who’s healthy for the play-off run, and who needs to be jettisoned to some other unwary owner.

–Week 10 Temperature Check–

HOT

Aaron Rodgers, GBP

Philip Rivers, SD

Tony Romo, DAL

Rodgers has quietly become the league’s best fantasy QB over the last few weeks. I say quietly because, his team has been losing, but Rodgers still has 900 yards of pass/rush offense and 8 TDs over his last 3 games.

It seems every season the Chargers start slow then explode, and Rivers leads the charge. Over his last 3 games he has over 700 yards passing and 7 TDs. He’s on fire right now and history is on his side.

Romo and the Cowboys have quietly slipped into the thick of the hunt in a tough division. Romo’s been doing a great job over his last 3 games with 874 passing yards,7 touchdowns and only one interception.

Chris Johnson, TEN

DeAngelo Williams, CAR

Michael Turner, ATL

No one is hotter right now than Chris Johnson. He’s racked up 400 yards of offense and 4 TDs in his last two games. This week he faces the league’s worst rush defense. Cha-ching!

Williams started slow, showing no real signs of last year’s fantasy studliness, but over his last three games he’s leading the league in rushing yards with 396, and has 3 TDs to boot.

Turner’s another guy who started slow but seems to be finding his groove. He had his best game of the season last week, and this week he faces the team he torched last season.

Vincent Jackson, SD

Miles Austin, DAL

Devin Hester, CHI

Most fantasy owners might be surprised to know that the hottest receiver in the league right now is Jackson, who is averaging 101 receiving yards per game over the last 3 weeks and has 4 touchdowns in that span.

Austin has managed to put up 4 scores in his last three games, and 291 receiving yards, despite only being targeted 19 times, and catching only 12 balls. Last week he caught one pass, but it was for a TD. Austin is becoming Romo’s prime target in Dallas.

Yes, Hester. Devin is tied with Larry Fitzgerald for second in receptions over the last 3 weeks, but he’s been targeted 7 fewer times. The only difference in their numbers is Hester has one less TD in that span. Is he finally becoming a real #1 receiver?

Vernon Davis, SF

Greg Olsen, CHI

Dallas Clark, IND

This is not much of a shocker. Davis has been solid all season, and with new QB Alex Smith under center, he’s now the aerial focus of the team’s offensive attack.

This may be more of a surprise, but I’ve been saying for the last few weeks to buy low. The reception totals and yards aren’t there yet, but Olsen is Jay Cutler’s primary redzone threat.

Back to the no big surprise file again. Clark just keeps getting it done week after week, and Peyton Manning counts on him more than any player on the team.

Pittsburgh Steelers ‘D’

New Orleans Saints ‘D’

Dallas Cowboys ‘D’

After a terrible fantasy start, the Steelers defense has gone on a tear. Having TroyPolamalu back will do that for a team. In their last 2 games they have returned 3 turnovers for TDs, and tagged Kyle Orton with his first 3 real INTs of the season.

Who’d a thunk it? The New Orleans defense leading the league in fantasy value. But they lead the league with 7 defensive touchdowns including 4 in their last 3 games. Even the Eagles ‘D’ haven’t been that opportunistic this season.

Hard to believe, but after starting off in the fantasy cellar, the Cowboys have been limiting points, getting special teams scores, and have 11 sacks in their last 3 games. They’ve been averaging 10 fantasy points per game.

WARM

Alex Smith, SF

Carson Palmer, CIN

Tom Brady, NEP

He hasn’t won either of his starts, but he’s certainly generated more fantasy value than Shaun Hill ever did, and in doing so elevated the value of others on the team.

Palmer is starting to warm up for the Bengals. they have a tough match-up this week against the Steelers, but he’s not getting near the fantasy love he should be getting.

I know, he might qualify for Hot status, but really, 4 TDs over the last 2 games is not setting the world on fire. His footwork is getting solid again though and the yardage is there.

Ladell Betts, WAS

Jamaal Charles, KCC

Rashard Mendenhall, PIT

Clinton Portis is hurt again. That means teams will get a healthy dose of Betts’ hardnose rushing style. A perfect fit against the broncos defense.

Larry Johnson gets the boot out of Kansas City, so the starting job is now Jamaal’s to lose. He has a sweet match-up this week, and this is his chance to excel.

Mendenhall is not finding the endzone as much as owners would like, but he’s looking solid every week, and 155 yards vs. the Broncos is outstanding.

Mike Wallace, PIT

Greg Jennings, GB

Steve Smith, CAR

With only 7 receptions in his last two games, he has scored twice and racked up about 150 receiving yards. Big Ben is developing a connection with the rookie.

While he hasn’t turned back to fantasy gold yet, he’s starting to see more action. Each week he seems a little more in sync with Aaron Rodgers. I expect better stats moving forward.

Smith has not been the productive stud fantasy owners expected, but he’s getting the targets and the receptions are picking up. The productions is building.

Brandon Pettigrew, DET

Brent Celek, PHI

Dustin Keller, NYJ

Pettigrew is becoming a great safety valve for rookie QB Matt Stafford.

The rookie is starting to gel with McNabb now. The last couple of weeks, things are looking up.

Keller has been QB Mark Sanchez’ favorite target this season. Now the receptions are coming too.

San Diego Chargers ‘D’

Miami Dolphins ‘D’

Indianapolis Colts ‘D’

The Chargers are heating up all over. Their defense has 14 sacks in their last three games and 4 interceptions.

The Dolphins have 9 sacks, 4 interceptions, a defensive TD, and 2 special teams TDs over their last 3 games.

The Colts have 9 sacks and 5 interceptions in their last 3 games and have limited the opposition to 13 points or less on average.

COLD

Joe Flacco, BAL

Vince Young, TEN

Marc Bulger/Derek Anderson

Flacco’s fallen off the fantasy radar of late. Over his last 2 games he has 1 touchdown and 370 passing yards.

Despite wins in his first two starts, his own fantasy value is ice cold, though still better than Flacco.

These two have fantasy frostbite. In their last 2 games they have combined for zero passing touchdowns.